Laurens' weekend preview: Will Spurs haunt title-chasing Man City again?

Every Friday, I pick the weekend's best or most exciting games you should not miss in the world of football.

From derbies and title race clashes to tactical master classes and world-class players doing battle, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.

This week, we take you to England, Italy, Spain, France, Greece and Brazil for a Super Cup final, a high-pressure game, a derby, a top-of-the-table clash, a big surprise package story, a spotlight for one of the game's next big stars, and a potential title decider in the women's game.

- Champions League playoff picks: Can Mourinho shock Real Madrid again?
- Ranked: Who are the top 50 players in the Premier League right now?
- Man City ending 10-year wait for WSL title hinges on next two games

 Can Guardiola & Co. overcome their bogey side?
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Manchester City

Premier League, Matchday 24
Kickoff: Sunday, 11:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. GMT

What an intriguing game! Manchester City have won their past two matches -- against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, and against Galatasaray in midweek -- but those results came after a disastrous week that saw them lose to rivals Manchester United and relative European minnows Bodo/Glimt.

Trailing leaders Arsenal by four points in the Premier League, City manager Pep Guardiola still has a lot of work to do. They have multiple key injuries -- including first-team defenders Josko Gvardiol, Rúben Dias and John Stones -- along with tactical issues and some stars in poor form. Erling Haaland has scored just one goal in his last nine games in all competitions (scoreless in his last five, even), and it came from the penalty spot.

Next up is a trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a place where they have won just three of nine games since it opened in 2019.

No matter what Spurs' form is like, they have a habit of being City's bogey side, including in the reverse Premier League fixture this season at the Etihad Stadium in August. That 2-0 win for Thomas Frank's team was the highlight of Spurs' season so far as they sink closer to a potential relegation battle. Few Premier League managers need a victory as badly as Frank this weekend.

MY PREDICTION: Tottenham 1-1 Man City. Both teams have so many issues right now, but I expect Spurs to frustrate City and take a point at home.

Yes, we're still watching what happens with Arbeloa
Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano

Spanish LaLiga, Matchday 22
Kickoff: Sunday, 8 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. GMT
Stream LIVE on ESPN+ (U.S.)

The Álvaro Arbeloa watch continues! After losses to Albacete (3-2) and Benfica (4-2), along with wins vs. Levante (2-0), Monaco (6-1) and Villarreal (2-0), it's a very different kind of Madrid derby up next on Sunday for the new man in charge. Los Merengues host Rayo, and it won't be easy for Arbeloa. He seems to have taken the tactical constraints away from his star players, and brought a sense of calm to the squad too. It's still not perfect, though, as Kylian Mbappé is still carrying this team. But Vinícius Júnior is playing better, as is Jude Bellingham.

They will be very wary of the visitors, though Rayo are not in good form. They have lost their last three games in a row (including a Copa del Rey clash) and are only one point above the relegation zone. They have only won five games out of 21 so far this season in the league, which is not enough. Inigo Perez is still a very highly rated manager, but he needs to improve his team and rediscover last season's standards. This is the perfect game for it, even if their record away at the Bernabéu is very poor.

MY PREDICTION: Real Madrid 3-1 Rayo Vallecano. Real Madrid are not at their best yet, but with Mbappé scoring every week, they have a huge advantage. Let's see if we get more influence from Arbeloa on the touchline, though they should still win this handily given their quality.

 Superclubs battle for first trophy of Brazilian season
Flamengo vs. Corinthians

Brazilian Super Cup
Kickoff: Sunday, 5 p.m. ET / 10 p.m. GMT

The Brazilian Super Cup -- or Supercopa rei, as it's been called since 2024 -- is maybe not the most prestigious trophy to win, but this is a huge game nonetheless as Flamengo, winners of the Brasileiro (the Brazilian league), take on Corinthians, who lifted the Brazil Cup.

Flamengo are the best side in the country, having won the Copa Libertadores this season, put on a strong showing at last summer's Club World Cup, and losing narrowly in the final of the Intercontinental Cup against Paris Saint-Germain. They are on the verge of recruiting Lucas Paquetá from West Ham United, which would be an amazing coup for them. They already have a squad full of players that have an abundance of experience in Europe, too, like Jorginho (notably at Napoli, Chelsea and Arsenal), Samuel Lino and Saúl Ñíguez (Atlético Madrid) and many others. Even if the start of their regional Carioca campaign has not gone according to plan for highly rated manager Filipe Luis -- another former star in Europe at Atlético and Chelsea -- with three defeats, a draw and only one win in their first five games in the competition, they are still the favorites in every game they play.

Corinthians are not in much better form in their regional Paulista tournament with just two wins in five (two draws and a loss). Their squad is not as deep and talented as their opponents, but they have the very experienced Dorival Júnior running the show as coach and in Memphis Depay, they have one of the best players in the whole country though he has yet to feature this season. Corinthians are a much tougher prospect with Memphis in the side, but either way they are very much the underdogs in this clash for the first domestic trophy of the Brazilian season!

MY PREDICTION: Flamengo 2-0 Corinthians. I think Flamengo (with or without Paquetá) will be too strong for Corinthians (with our without Memphis) despite a poor start of the year.

Will Sunday's game decide the WSL title?
Manchester City vs. Chelsea

Women's Super League, Matchday 14
Kickoff: Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. GMT
Stream LIVE on ESPN+ (U.S.)

This could be the game that decides the WSL title! Nine points currently separate Manchester City in first place in the table and Chelsea in second. There are not many games left to play this season -- this weekend marks just eight weeks to go -- and even though City travel to Arsenal next weekend and still have a Manchester derby on the schedule, beating Chelsea would put them 12 points clear and feeling like they have one hand on the trophy. They have been outstanding this campaign and deserve to be on top. However, we remember two seasons ago when they let the title slip to the benefit of Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Sonia Bompastor's side lost at home to Arsenal last weekend and can't afford another defeat. They have to show the pride of champions on Sunday. They have the players to do it, but they lack momentum. The game will be played at the Etihad stadium and have a real feel of a title decider.

MY PREDICTION: Man City 2-2 Chelsea. Again, I thought it would be a draw between Chelsea and Arsenal last weekend but the Gunners surprised me. This time, there won't be much either between the two teams and they will definitely share the points!

Another big moment for Endrick
Lyon vs. Lille

French Ligue 1, Matchday 20
Kickoff: Sunday, 9 a.m. ET / 2 p.m. GMT

All the chat in France at the moment is about Endrick, loaned to Lyon by Real Madrid this month and already lighting up the French league with his presence. He was very good on his French debut against -- you guessed it -- Lille in the Coupe de France three weeks ago, notching a goal in a Lyon win. Then, he was amazing against Brest in his first Ligue 1 game with an assist and some amazing dribbles, and he was unbelievable against Metz last weekend, tallying an impressive hat trick.

That feat of excellence made Endrick the fourth-youngest player to score three goals in a French top-flight game in the 21st century behind Jérémy Ménez, Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé: pretty awesome company!

Lyon had been crying out for a No.9 throughout the first half of the season, and recruiting the Brazilian international was a superb coup. With him, they can dream of winning the Europa League (they topped the table in the league phase), qualify for the Champions League next season (they are fourth heading into the weekend, just two points behind Marseille) and they are even dreaming of catching PSG, who are nine points ahead of them right now.

For Lille, it's all about stopping Endrick, but also finding some solutions to their own problems. They are on a run of five defeats in all competitions and 13 goals conceded with only three scored along the way. Their form and their performances are really worrying. While they are still fifth in the table, four points behind Lyon, a defeat on Sunday would really pile on the pressure. Bruno Genesio, the Lille manager and former boss at Lyon, is under massive pressure. He needs something special to get a very important win in his hometown.

MY PREDICTION: Lyon 2-1 Lille. I predict Endrick will be the star again, carrying Lyon to a huge win.

Two evenly matched teams in Serie A
Como vs. Atalanta

Italian Serie A, Matchday 22
Kickoff: Sunday, 9 a.m. ET / 2 p.m. GMT

Right now, it feels as though Como are doing an Atalanta! I wouldn't bet my house that Cesc Fàbregas will stay on the Como bench (there since 2024) as long as Gian Piero Gasperini did on the touchline in Bergamo (nine years), and his club has spent far more money to get here than Atalanta ever did (they were always reinvesting). But Como are the surprise package of the Serie A season, upsetting the giants of Italian football, like Atalanta used to do under Gasperini.

Now coached by Raffaelle Palladino after Ivan Juric was sacked a few weeks ago, Atalanta are doing much better. With six wins, a draw and only one loss (against league leaders Inter Milan), they are one of the most in-form teams at the moment and are in eighth place, just five points back of Sunday's opponents.

However, the hosts have also been consistently good in Serie A lately, with five wins, one draw and one loss against AC Milan in their last seven games. Fàbregas is doing an amazing job, developing some talented young players (playmakers Martin Baturina and Nico Paz) while taking others to the next level (midfielder Lucas Da Cunha, striker Anastasios Douvikas). They play good football with intensity and are only three points behind fourth place and the promised land of Champions League football for next season!

MY PREDICTION: Como 2-1 Atalanta. Como have only lost once at home all season in the league, where both their intensity and their press are at their best. It will be too much for Atalanta regardless of their confidence in recent weeks.

 And finally, an Athens derby in Greece
AEK Athens vs. Olympiacos

Greek Super League 1, Matchday 19
Kickoff: Sunday, 2 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. GMT

It is first vs. second in the Greek top flight on Sunday as well as an Athens derby.

AEK lead the league, two points above their opponents while PAOK Salonika are just a point behind the team from Piraeus. AEK have only lost two games so far this season, away at Olympiacos back in October and at home to PAOK a couple of games earlier! Since then, they have been unbeatable domestically. Luka Jovic (remember him?) is carrying this team, with 12 league goals already, and they have big leaders in their ranks like Mexico's Orbelín Pineda in midfield and Croatia's Domagoj Vida in defense. The atmosphere should be exceptional, and they will need their fans to be at their best in distracting a red-hot Olympiacos team.

Apart from losing against Real Madrid (4-3) in the Champions League and PAOK in the Greek Cup, they too have been almost invincible. Ayoub El Kaabi and Mehdi Taremi up front are outstanding and they have the best squad in the league, managed with style and aplomb by the Spaniard José Luis Mendilibar. These teams are guaranteed to get to the championship playoff -- the top four all make it -- but it's all about the momentum and the confidence you have when you get there. This game on Sunday will provide it to whoever walks away victorious.

MY PREDICTION: AEK 2-1 Olympiacos. AEK will take their revenge from the reverse fixture. They have had the week to prepare for this, while Olympiacos had a big Champions League game away at Ajax in midweek.